Knights sign Dragons utility Beau Scott

Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett continues to pillage his former club St George Illawarra with the Knights signing representative utility Beau Scott on a four-year NRL deal.

Scott - who made his New South Wales Origin and Test debut last season - will reunite with Bennett at Newcastle from 2013, adding to the distinctly red and white hue of the Knights squad.

Bennett took star full-back Darius Boyd, Adam Cuthbertson and rookie Alex McKinnon with him when he headed north at the end of last season, while there are another three ex-Dragons - Neville Costigan, Chris Houston and Wes Naiqama - in the current Newcastle squad.

Bennett leant heavily on Scott's versatility throughout his three years with the Dragons, with the 27-year-old switching between centre and the back row.

"Beau is one of those rare marquee players that ticks all the boxes in our recruitment and retention criteria," Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said in a statement released late Friday.

"Beau's genuine leadership qualities will have a huge influence over the culture we are building not only at the NRL level but throughout the entire club.

"Having players of Beau's character join our club is also a clear indication the Knights new direction is being embraced by players, coaches and officials in the game."

Scott's departure will give the Dragons more room to manoeuvre under the salary cap, having already had some extra funds to work with following Tim Moltzen's decision to renege on a deal and remain with Wests Tigers for 2011.